Just One Simple Question Can Identify Narcissistic People

Single-item scale can help researchers crunched for time

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Scientists have developed and validated a
new method to identify which people are narcissistic: Just ask them.

In a series of 11 experiments involving more than 2,200
people of all ages, the researchers found they could reliably identify
narcissistic people by asking them this exact question (including the note):

To what extent do you
agree with this statement: “I am a
narcissist.” (Note: The word “narcissist” means egotistical, self-focused,
and vain.)

Participants rated themselves on a scale of 1 (not very true
of me) to 7 (very true of me).

“People who are narcissists are almost proud of the fact. You can ask them directly because they don’t
see narcissism as a negative quality – they believe they are superior to other
people and are fine with saying that publicly.”

Understanding narcissism has many implications for society
that extend beyond the impact on the individual narcissist’s life, Konrath
said.

“For example, narcissistic people have low empathy, and
empathy is one key motivator of philanthropic behavior such as donating money
or time to organizations.”

“Overall, narcissism is problematic for both individuals and
society. Those who think they are
already great don’t try to improve themselves,” Bushman said.

“And narcissism is bad for society because people who are
only thinking of themselves and their own interests are less helpful to
others.”

Bushman emphasized that SINS shouldn’t be seen a replacement
for the longer narcissism questionnaires.
The NPI and other instruments can provide more information to
researchers, such as which form of narcissism someone has.

“But our single-item scale can be useful for long surveys in
which researchers are concerned about people getting fatigued or distracted while
answering questions and possibly even dropping out before they are done,”
Bushman said.

He noted that if it takes a person 20 seconds to answer the
single question in the SINS measure, it would take him or her 13.3 minutes to
answer the 40-question NPI.

“That is a big difference if you’re doing a study in which
participants have to complete several different survey instruments and answer a
long list of other questions,” he said.

The 11 different experiments took a number of different
approaches to determine the validity of SINS.
Some used undergraduate college students, while others involved online
panels of American adults.

One experiment found that SINS was positively related to each
of the seven subscales of the NPI, which measure various components of
narcissism (vanity, exhibitionism, exploitativeness, authority, superiority,
self-sufficiency and entitlement).

Another study found that participants tended to have similar
scores on SINS when tested 11 days apart.
One experiment replicated past work that showed people scoring high in
narcissism were more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors and had
difficulty maintaining long-term committed romantic relationships.

People who scored higher on narcissism on the SINS had both
positive and negative outcomes, Bushman said.
They reported more positive feelings, more extraversion and marginally
less depression.

But they also reported less agreeableness, and more anger,
shame, guilt and fear. In addition, people scoring high on SINS showed negative
interpersonal outcomes, such as having poor relationships with others and less
prosocial behavior when their ego was threatened.

The advantage of SINS compared to other measures, Bushman
said, is that it allows researchers to identify narcissists very easily.

“We don’t think SINS is a replacement for other narcissism
inventories in all situations, but it has a time and place,” he said.